Ordering a Lenovo ThinkPad - 4 weeks...

[fdsa]

On 6/8/2022 at 11:14 AM, fdsa said:

<deleted>... yet another update: I've got a parcel held hostage by Thai customs because the declared value is over 40'000 THB (as the UPS representative said).

Now the customs want a ton of paperwork such as description of goods, country of origin, proof of payment, et cetera. This is not a big deal, but UPS also wants me to send my original passport to their office in Bangkok to register UPS as a broker, AFAIU it means "to allow UPS to import parcels and deal with Thai customs on my behalf".

 

So make a note that importing anything more expensive than 40'000 THB will be a PITA.

update: I've registered at the local Thai Customs office and sent copies of the passport to UPS in Bangkok, and got my parcel 4 days later.

The VAT was 7% (the product is "computer parts"), ~4000 THB, but other fees were more than VAT - ~4500 THB (I was charged for "storage space" because all paperwork BS took several days and storage is free for a few days only).
200 THB - standard "disbursement fee" for all shipments by UPS

1000 THB - "customs penalty"

1550 THB - "customs warehouse"

1200 THB - "non-routine formal e"

321 THB - "other govt fees"

 

So the total import charges for ~55K THB shipment were almost 15%

[Bruno123]

On 6/8/2022 at 11:47 AM, JimmyJ said:

I've never bought a refurbished product - 

 

a) Have you ever had problems with a refurbished computer making you regret not having purchased it new?

(I have no repair skills.and in the past with new  computers have made use several times of the warranty for repairs);

 

b) Any fears of someone who previously had control of it having inserted spyware into the BIOS or other issues along those lines?

No.

No.

 

Most of my refurbed units have lasted beyond nine years thus far.  But then most of the units I purchased were 'as new' in the first place. 

[Digitalbanana]

On 7/22/2021 at 7:49 PM, fdsa said:

my post is based on my personal experience

My experience is with Fedex and UPS when importing laptops. I found Fedex simplest and faster. They simply charge VAT (7%?) on your declared value of items inc shipping cost with all costs agreed prior shipping. There is no import duty. With UPS it was same but for first time imports involved taking a passport to BKK airport to release - so I will avoid them again.

[RedBackman]

2 hours ago, Digitalbanana said:

My experience is with Fedex and UPS when importing laptops. I found Fedex simplest and faster. They simply charge VAT (7%?) on your declared value of items inc shipping cost with all costs agreed prior shipping. There is no import duty. With UPS it was same but for first time imports involved taking a passport to BKK airport to release - so I will avoid them again.

Were your laptops over 40k baht? It might not be the shipping company so much as the amount you spent. To my understanding Thai law requires import declaration form regardless of whether VAT/duties have been paid after 40k and I'm not sure if any of the normal shipping companies will act as a clearing agent for this issue or if they'll do it for free. If they don't you'll pretty much have to show up at the customs house or hire an agent.

[fdsa]

Yet another update (shipping a smartphone by UPS):

 

today I've learned that the taxes are calculated not only from the cost of the item itself but also from the freight + insurance costs added. So an item which costs $800 gets taxed as a $1000+ item.

smartphone import tax 10%

+ VAT 7%

+ UPS services fee 200 THB

total 175 USD taxes for 800 USD item.

[fdsa]

On 7/19/2022 at 2:01 PM, fdsa said:

Yet another update (shipping a smartphone by UPS):

 

today I've learned that the taxes are calculated not only from the cost of the item itself but also from the freight + insurance costs added. So an item which costs $800 gets taxed as a $1000+ item.

smartphone import tax 10%

+ VAT 7%

+ UPS services fee 200 THB

total 175 USD taxes for 800 USD item.

just received another smartphone, and this time I was NOT charged 10% import tax, only 7% VAT - yet another reminder to theoretics like @Liverpool Lou that here in Thailand how it is written on the paper and how it really is are two very different things.

 

[Fab5BKK]

I ordered a ThinkPad X13 on Aug. 23 and got it delivered on Sep. 07. A quick delivery for a "bespoke" laptop!

[fdsa]

an experience of another person:

 

17 hours ago, watthong said:

I just got slapped a 10% custom duty on CIF of a package consists of second-hand/recycled, declared as "used" computer parts: cpu, ssd, ram, motherboard etc, shipped from the US via FedEx. In the past I have shipped 3 dell (used) workstations individually and each time got zero custom duty. I called FedEx office and they gave the tariff code 85444929 (also printed on the invoice I received upon payment) as reason for the 10% duty, citing "computer parts."

[watthong]

On 9/2/2022 at 9:33 PM, fdsa said:

just received another smartphone, and this time I was NOT charged 10% import tax, only 7% VAT - yet another reminder to theoretics like @Liverpool Lou that here in Thailand how it is written on the paper and how it really is are two very different things.

 

I was going to ask you if the second phone was declared/considered "used" and thus escaped the 10% duty whereas the first one was "new" and therefore got taxed? In other words, any difference in the custom declaration of the 1st and 2nd phone?

- then further down to the part where you had to paid duty for the 1st power supply, and none for same item the second time around, even though the box was opened for custom inspection....

[fdsa]

31 minutes ago, watthong said:

I was going to ask you if the second phone was declared/considered "used" and thus escaped the 10% duty whereas the first one was "new" and therefore got taxed? In other words, any difference in the custom declaration of the 1st and 2nd phone?

both were new, and their declared price corresponded to their real market price.

there was nothing about "used" or "second hand" on the customs declaration, only the model name.

 

31 minutes ago, watthong said:

- then further down to the part where you had to paid duty for the 1st power supply, and none for same item the second time around, even though the box was opened for custom inspection....

the whole point of all my messages in this thread is that the import tax/duty in Thailand is absolutely random and depends on the mood of the customs officer inspecting your package.

yet I must add that if you ship by the courier service such as DHL, UPS, FedEx, you will have a much higher chance to get taxed (and sometimes even over-taxed) rather than when shipping by the usual postal service or EMS.

[fdsa]

On 1/27/2022 at 2:53 PM, fdsa said:

P.S. to moderators - I suggest to rename this thread to something like "Ordering a Lenovo Thinkpad & import tax"

or moving messages about import taxes to another thread.

I'm too lazy to start a new thread and copy all messages myself.

[fdsa]

On 9/14/2022 at 5:10 PM, fdsa said:

 

the whole point of all my messages in this thread is that the import tax/duty in Thailand is absolutely random and depends on the mood of the customs officer inspecting your package.

yet I must add that if you ship by the courier service such as DHL, UPS, FedEx, you will have a much higher chance to get taxed (and sometimes even over-taxed) rather than when shipping by the usual postal service or EMS.

just got another parcel, "computer parts" (SSD storage) worth 700 USD, shipped by the usual Post - zero import tax, I wasn't even asked for 7% VAT.

 

[fdsa]

It seems that SSD storage is really exempt from extra tax, I've got another parcel inspected by Thai customs and was asked for 7% VAT only, the customs officer even wrote "8471  0%" on the declaration slip. Probably a solid state storage qualifies as HS code 8471 "Automatic data-processing machines and units thereof; magnetic or optical readers"

[Photoguy21]

Purely out of interest but why does it have to be a Lenovo laptop? There are plenty of other makes available and are just as good as Lenovo and better. Just curious as why it has to be Lenovo.

[jmccarty]

On 7/22/2021 at 12:21 PM, Liverpool Lou said:

Nonsense.   The import duty rate charged by the courier companies is specified by the Customs Dept and detailed on the courier's invoice to the recipient, if it's not correct it can be challenged.  They do not have the authority to scam the public by charging what they want and it is ridiculous to suggest that they do.

I often get import customs duty refunds many months after purchases are delivered; these are coming from the courier.  So agree with your statement. A point on computers, last laptop I ordered via Amazon from the US early this year was delivered to me here in Thailand as follows:

 

Item(s) Subtotal:	USD 1,596.99
Shipping & Handling:	USD 29.77
	-----
Total before tax:	USD 1,626.76
Estimated tax to be collected:	USD 0.00
Import Fees Deposit	USD 315.08

Grand Total:

USD 1,941.84

[garania]

@jmccarty Mate, it looks like you've done what I need advice on. Sorry to bring up an old post back.

 

Your order from Amazon US goes above 40,000 THB as per customs. Im assuming you used Amazon global shipping program? Did you ever need to go declare the laptop yourself or did you just wake up to find it at your door step?

 

 

[jmccarty]

On 3/19/2023 at 8:02 AM, garania said:

@jmccarty Mate, it looks like you've done what I need advice on. Sorry to bring up an old post back.

 

Your order from Amazon US goes above 40,000 THB as per customs. Im assuming you used Amazon global shipping program? Did you ever need to go declare the laptop yourself or did you just wake up to find it at your door step?

 

 

It was imported by the courier via AGS and they rang me 20 minutes before delivery.  No customs nightmare to deal with at all.

[fdsa]

On 6/8/2022 at 11:14 AM, fdsa said:

So make a note that importing anything more expensive than 40'000 THB will be a PITA.

Update: I've got another package over 40k THB shipped by the usual Post and the Customs Office wanted me to find some Thai broker to act on my behalf, or to give them a "small gift" to ease the process. I chose the latter.